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. atten .tetes @anni @ffies STEPHEN S. WHLEY, OF TIDIONTE, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 67,933, dated August 20, 1867.

l IMPROVEMENT IN FRUIT-LADDERS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CON CERN:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN S. WHALEY, of 'lidiontc, in the oountyof Warren, and State ot' Pennsyl- Vania, have invented a new Improvement in Fruit-Ladder; and I do hereby declare the following, whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, ini Figure l, a side view, andin Figure 2 a front view.

This invention is designed for an apparatus upon which a person may stand, at any desired elevation, and

be moved about fruit trees for the purpose of fruit-gathering, lwithout the necessity of coming to the ground for every change of position,'and consists ofa ladder supported upon a trundling-frame, and4 having combined therewith a support or harness for the person, so that the use ot his hands for his own support is unnecessary.

Inl order to the clear understanding of my invention, I will proceed to a description of the same as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

A is a platform, supported upon a trundling-frame, B, provided with wheels C for its easy movement, and handles D by which the platform is moved. The trundling-frame B is covered so as to form a floor beneath the platform A to form a receptacle for fruit-gathering utensils, and for like purposes. E is a ladder,I supported upon the platform, and so as to be adjusted to different inclinations, as denoted in the drawings, by removing the pins a and 6, which support the ladder in either of the positions seen in the drawing in different colors,

that is to say, the foot of the ladder being at the centre of the trundling-frame, it is represented in black as firmly secured in a perpendicular position. Leaving the foot secured, the pins 6 may he removed and the ladder turned forward or back, and the pin be insertedat the point 1 or 2, and the ladder securelyr held in that position; or the pins a may be removed and the pins inserted at 3 or 4, as the case may be; or theltoot of the ladder, being at either 3 or 4, and the pin b at 1 or 2, the ladder will be held in the position 'denoted in-redor blue; but in whichever position the ladder is placed, it is firmly and securely held.4 F is an adjustable platform or step, which is hung to either of the rundles of the ladder at the desired height for the person to stand upon.' G G are ropes or cords, provided each with a hook, or an equivalent therefor, or in some manner attached to a receptacle for the fruit which is gathered, one ot' which may be lowered to take to the earth the filled receptacle for discharge, while an elnptyvreceptacle is raised in place of the other. c c are straps, hung to a rundle of the ladder, and passing over the shoulders and cross upon the breast ofthe person. Another strap, d, passes over the neck, and a hook,f, attached to the breast-strap, holds the basket or receptacle for the fruit, as seen in the drawing, so that the person may reach forward or in any direction, and safely trust to the harness for his support; 'and thus, when properly fixed in its position, the ladder may be trundled about from place to place, or around the i tree, avoiding the necessity of returning to the earth whenever he desires to change'A h is position. .i l

Though especially designed for picking fruit, this apparatus is adapted to many other uses.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The arrangement of thc ladder upon the trundling-frame, in combination with-the platform A, arranged so as to be adjustable and t'ixed thereon, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The receptacle `formed by the combination of the trundling-frame I3 and platform A, in combination with an adjustable ladder, substantially as set forth.

3. The harness c, combined with a ladder so as to support the person thereon, substantially as set forth.

STEPHEN S. WHALEY.

Witnesses:

J. B. JENNINGs, R. H. MORRISON. 

